Patrick T. Conley’s Dec. 26 letter regarding the merging of routes 114 and 136 at the southern end of town was spot on. He noted that he and his wife Gail have long lobbied for some form of …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
Please log in to continue |
Register to post eventsIf you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here. Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content. |
Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.
Patrick T. Conley’s Dec. 26 letter regarding the merging of routes 114 and 136 at the southern end of town was spot on. He noted that he and his wife Gail have long lobbied for some form of traffic control at the junction of state Routes 136 (Metacom Avenue) and 114 (Ferry Road), calling the merger “hazardous in the extreme,” as southbound drivers on Route 136 (particularly those unfamiliar with the merge) speed into the intersection, often infringing on the lane of travel being used for southbound drivers along 114.
It’s not just the drivers on 136 who are contributing to the inherent hazard of the intersection. The merge is at the end of straightaways on both routes, leading to significant numbers of drivers exceeding the speed limits on the respective roads. Often, frustrated, heavy-footed drivers stuck behind slower vehicles on Ferry Road will veer into the left lane to pass the moment the opportunity presents itself, not remembering or realizing that traffic is flowing into that lane unimpeded from Metacom Avenue.
The hazards are not limited to southbound drivers, either. Northbound traffic heading toward the downtown district has a stop sign; most drivers (though not all) recognize that this is not a 4-way stop. But many drivers, accustomed to right-angle intersections, misjudge how quickly southbound traffic will approach from an oblique angle — even without the added complication of excessive speed.
Longtime residents know to approach that intersection with caution, regardless of direction, but too many drivers, whether new residents, visitors, or transients, are given no warning that there is a dangerous intersection ahead. Considering this intersection is directly in front of the main entrance to a bustling university, unfamiliar drivers are frequent and constant in this area.
Traffic controls are needed, and as the merging roads are both state routes, it is the responsibility of the state to address this very dangerous intersection. We would like to add our voice to Patrick and Gail Conley’s and ask our General Assembly delegation to take up this matter on Smith Hill.